Ionic polymerization. Living polymers

Addition polymers are made by use of three processes free radical, ionic, and complex coordination catalyst. Ionic polymerization can be either anionic or cationic. Except for some elastomers that are made by ionic polymerization, commercial polymers are made by free radical polymerization or by using complex coordination catalysts. So-called living polymers are widely used in polymer research, because they can be made with very narrow molecular weight distributions. These were traditionally made using anionic polymerization, but it has been shown that living polymers can also be made using a free-radical or cationic process. 

In ionic polymerizations termination by combination does not occur, since all of the polymer ions have the same charge. In addition, there are solvents such as dioxane and tetrahydrofuran in which chain transfer reactions are unimportant for anionic polymers. Therefore it is possible for these reactions to continue without transfer or termination until all monomer has reacted. Evidence for this comes from the fact that the polymerization can be reactivated if a second batch of monomer is added after the initial reaction has gone to completion. In this case the molecular weight of the polymer increases, since no new growth centers are initiated. Because of this absence of termination, such polymers are called living polymers. 

Polymer molecules with just one or a few ionic groups, in most cases terminal and anionic, are called macroions. They are encountered primarily in living polymers, polymer molecules present in a polymerizing reaction system that will grow as long as monomers (e.g., esters or nitriles of methacrylic acid) continue to be supplied. The ionic charge of the macroion always transfers to the last monomer added, keeping the macroion ready for the next such addition. 

Whether the first or the second factor dominates depends on the type of polymerization process involved. If the period during which the polymer molecule is growing is short compared to the residence time of the molecule in the reactor, the first factor dominates. This situation holds for many free radical and ionic polymerization processes where the reaction intermediates are extremely short-lived. Figure 9.11, taken from Denbigh (10), indicates the types of behavior expected for systems of this type. 

Living free-radical polymerization has recently attracted considerable attention since it enables the preparation of polymers with well-controlled composition and molecular architecture previously the exclusive domain of ionic polymerizations, using very robust conditions akin to those of a simple radical polymerization [77 - 86]. In one of the implementations, the grafting is achieved by employing the terminal nitroxide moieties of a monolith prepared in the presence of a stable free radical such as 2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-l-pyperidinyloxy (TEMPO). In this way, the monolith is prepared first and its dormant free-... 

While in most of the reports on SIP free radical polymerization is utihzed, the restricted synthetic possibihties and lack of control of the polymerization in terms of the achievable variation of the polymer brush architecture limited its use. The alternatives for the preparation of weU-defined brush systems were hving ionic polymerizations. Recently, controlled radical polymerization techniques has been developed and almost immediately apphed in SIP to prepare stracturally weU-de-fined brush systems. This includes living radical polymerization using nitroxide species such as 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidin-l-oxyl (TEMPO) [285], reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization mainly utilizing dithio-carbamates as iniferters (iniferter describes a molecule that functions as an initiator, chain transfer agent and terminator during polymerization) [286], as well as atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) were the free radical is formed by a reversible reduction-oxidation process of added metal complexes [287]. All techniques rely on the principle to drastically reduce the number of free radicals by the formation of a dormant species in equilibrium to an active free radical. By this the characteristic side reactions of free radicals are effectively suppressed. 

The same aplies to polymer brushes. The use of SAMs as initiator systems for surface-initiated polymerization results in defined polymer brushes of known composition and morphology. The different polymerization techniques, from free radical to living ionic polymerizations and especially the recently developed controlled radical polymerization allows reproducible synthesis of strictly linear, hy-perbranched, dentritic or cross-linked polymer layer structures on solids. The added flexibility and functionality results in robust grafted supports with higher capacity and improved accessibility of surface functions. The collective and fast response of such layers could be used for the design of polymer-bonded catalytic systems with controllable activity. 

Actually it is well known that ionic polymerization need not terminate. They have been termed living polymers. If further monomer is added, weeks or months later there will be a further molecular weight increase as the polymer chains grow longer. As long as the counterion is present (lithium in the preceding case), the anionic end group is perfectly stable. 

Starting from 1956, living ionic polymerizations became the major interest for the synthesis of well-defined polymers. Szwarc reported that in the anionic polymerization of styrene (St) the polymer chains grew until all the monomer was consumed the chains continued to grow upon addition of more monomer [16],... 

Szwarc, M. and M. Van Beylen, Ionic Polymerization and Living Polymers, Chapman Hall, New York, 1993. 

Among the two ionic polymerization techniques mentioned above, a living anionic polymerization should show the best possible control of polymer architecture and composition. Mono dispersed homopolymers, complex-block, graft, star, and miktoarm architectures have been accessible primarily by anionic polymerization methods [22]. They have been used to grow polymer brushes from various small particles such as silica gels graphite,carbon black, and flat surfaces [23-26]. Recent results have been reported on living anionic polymerizations on clay [27] and silica nanoparticles [28,29]. 

Anionic polymerization Initiated by electron transfer (e.g., sodium-naphthalene and styrene In THF) usually produces two-ended living polymers. Such species belong to a class of compounds called bolaform electrolytes (27) In which two Ions or Ion pairs are linked together by a chain of atoms. Depending on chain length, counterion end solvent, Intramolecular Ionic Interactions can occur which in turn may affect the dissociation of the ion pairs Into free ions or the llgand-lon pair complex formation constants. 

Ionic polymerizations are remarkable in the variety of polymer steric structures that are produced by variation of the solvent or the counter ion. The long lived nature of the active chain ends in the anionic polymerization of diene and styrene type monomers lends itself to studies of their structure and properties which might have relevance to the structure of the polymer produced when these chain ends add further monomer. One of the tools that, may be used in the characterization of these ion pairs is the NMR spectrometer. However, it should always be appreciated that, the conditions in the NMR tube are frequently far removed from those in the actual polymerization. Furthermore NMR observes the equilibrium form on a long time scale, and this is not necessarily that form present at the moment of polymerization. 

Ise, N., H. Hirohara, T. Makino, K. Takaya, and M. Nakayama Ionic polymerization under an electric field. XIII. living anionic polymerization of styrene in the Unary mixtures of benzene and dimethoxyethane by the three-state mechanism. Presented at the 17th Discussion Meeting of High Polymers, October, 1968, Matsuyama, Preprint p. 261. 

In block copolymerization, the second step is also ionically catalyzed. However, it is possible for the living homopolymer to react with a peroxide initiator first and to complete the process by free-radical polymerization. R. B. Seymour and co-workers carried out both steps by free-radical polymerization. They obtained live polymers in free-radical solution poly-... 

A special kind of termination in ionic polymerizations is the mutual combination of anionic and cationic living chains (see Chap. 5, Sect. 5.8). When the two polymers consist of different monomers, block copolymers are formed. The two macroions can also consist of the same monomer. 

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